losing data

[Maf. King]

On Fri 27 December 13 11:32:21 Chris Bester wrote:
> Hi Colin
> 
> I have to disagree, every bank statement has a new opening balance which is
> the closing balance from the previous period.  The Gnucash balance sheet
> starts with the original opening balance and keeps on carrying that same
> balance forward.  I fail to see how you can say a balance sheet is not
> relative to a particular time.  It is exactly that, my balance sheet, at
> the end of my financial year, should have the balances that the year was
> started with, the activities in my accounts during the year and the balance
> that I end with.  Or somewhere we are talking past each other or using
> different terminology.
> 
> Hope you can enlighten me
> 
> Chris
> 

Hi Chris.

So what you are saying, by implication, is that if your bank statement starts 
with say £1000, finishes with a balance of £1500 so the statement should end 
up only showing £500 total at the end of the period?

Some reports (Balance Sheet is one) show the situation at a given moment in 
time, not a change.  It is a "statement of position" for shareholders and 
possibly other interested parties (gubberment etc.)

Multicolumn report - IIRC, options, set columns to 2, then contents tab, add 2  
balance sheets.  then, at the bottom of the generated balance sheets, there is 
a "report options" link that will let you get the reporting date etc. for the 
left and right hand balance sheets.

That is more or less how every "annual financial report" I've ever seen in the 
UK shows the balance sheet  - this year and last year side by side.

HTH,
MAf.